Among LED lighting product types, the fastest-growing category is not luminaires but strips and modules. Emergen Research forecasts LED strips and modules as the highest-growth segment from 2026 to 2035.
The reasons are easy to see: linear and decorative lighting are popular worldwide, moving strips from hidden accent lighting into homes and commercial spaces; and strips/modules are the most standardised products, best suited to cross-border e-commerce and bulk project purchasing. Alibaba's sourcing data confirms this — outdoor COB rope lights are among the categories with the fastest-growing enquiries this year.
For factories, the bar for strip business sits at both ends: consistency of LED chips and drivers on one side, and standardisation of packaging, roll lengths and certifications on the other. Suppliers who do both well usually earn repeat orders beyond price competition.
Source: Emergen Research (emergenresearch.com), Alibaba Ranking (ranking.alibaba.com)